I can’t believe it’s already January 9th. And it was so nice to slow down for the holidays. To just enjoy time off with the girls and unplug a bit. The girls are taking some new classes and we’re doing a bunch of work at the house this week, so things feel nonstop. But – it feels different this time. I’m going to do a deeper dive into what’s new and share some big news I’m not ready to share here just yet in my newsletter. But here’s (most of) what’s new this week 1.9.23.

What’s New This Week 1.9.23

This feels like the first real work week of the year since we’re back to a routine. And that first week post-holiday is an adjustment. I’m feeling good about this week though. Even though I’ll be juggling more than usual, it feels good. We have lots of appointments and a few classes, and no childcare. So I’m going to make the most of it. 

Family stuff and a priority revelation

Our nanny is off this week for personal reasons, so we’re back to the grind of coparenting and working and house stuff and managing the kids. But I am working on looking at things differently this year (more on that in my newsletter – too much to explain here) and it just feels…right. Glennon Doyle’s latest episode is something I really want to channel this year. Basically, everything has the same weight, so I don’t need to make a big deal of a work project. She said it so much better. I’m a bit short on time so listen to We Can Do Hard Things to hear more. 

Working without childcare – how we’re managing

Conor took Kate out for a bit so I could get some work done (bless him) this morning. Margot is in school, both girls are taking ballet (so sweet) and swim lessons, and we’re just trying to have something for them to do without being overbooked. I have a 2 class max rule. Down time is important, and I don’t want my kids to grow up thinking they always need to be kept busy with a class. Kate naps from around 1-3 or 3:30. I’m planning to work during Kate’s naps, and a little bit at night, but with some ground rules i.e. no staying on the computer until midnight. I am too pregnant and need sleep. Period. 

Where I’m struggling is that I do have goals. I’ve grown this blog, social, LTK, and partnerships each year, and am reminding myself that this is probably not the year that I’ll see as much of that kind of growth. We will grow our family though. I’ll hopefully get to enjoy the newborn days in a way I could not before. 

And some work updates

I wrapped my first partnership which should go live this week, and am about to start my second one for the year. It’s the last of a year-long partnership, and I think it’s going to be fun for parents who will be making Valentine’s this year. My new site (have I mentioned that here?) should launch in the next month or so, so that feels like a big, exciting step, too. I really felt the desire for a refresh and to make things even easier to find. I relaunched in 2015, and have since made some minor updates, so it’s time. This was a huge decision and significant investment, but with SEO growth and a focus on my own little space here on the internet, it felt right.

Although I definitely see a shelf life to what I’m doing if I’m being honest, so I am thinking about next steps in the coming years, without stress. I have some thoughts and right now, am exactly where I need to be, especially when you consider the stage of parenthood I’m in. 

A new podcast (for parents)

Ok, so I’m not sure how I missed this, especially since Ashleigh and I meet (privately via video chat) every 2 weeks and have been for almost a year and-a-half. But, I get a lot of questions about parenting and I’ve learned so much from Ashleigh, who (seriously, how did I not realize this) has a podcast! And I highly recommend listening to it. 

Trust me when I tell you I fall short all the time. No one is perfect. Being patient and mindful is not easy and I am anything but perfect at it. Toddler tantrums are hard, and while I’ve never raised a hand to my children and never (ever!) would, I’ve raised my voice, as all parents have. I was yelled at a lot when I was a kid, and the guilt eats away at me. I do work really hard to talk through things with my girls. And I always (always) apologize if I am short with them, which is something I never experienced in my life. Everything was my fault and deserved always. Ashleigh has helped so much with both how I can best support my children and how I can work through some of my grief and trauma, too. I think yo’ll love her.  

More house updates

Our family room is so so close to being a real room. It’s been torn up for months and months, and I cannot wait for it to be done. You can see my vision for the room here. Our carpenter who is overbooked and so I cannot share his info with you right now (please don’t hate me – he’s just at capacity) but we just love him. He’s great at what he does and is the nicest guy. Just know I’ll always share that info with you if and when I can. So he’s here finishing up a few things today. The lighting goes in Wednesday, (you can see that here) and closets on Thursday.

We’ll take the paper up today, clean the room, and should have our sofas within the month. Fortunately, we have a few chairs, a rug, and our ottoman, so it should come together quickly. And we’re hopefully not too far out from our mantel. I’m trying to get someone out here to take measurements for shades and curtains, too. I’m just so excited for the cozy memories we’ll make in this room. For game nights, movie nights, snuggles with the baby. I know it’s not about the decor at all, but it feels so good and so special to be able to create this home for my family. To make this space our own. Just all of it. Older homes are a real bitch – the work is overwhelming at times, not cheap, and can take forever, but it’s just so worth it. 

No-Spend January update

The pandemic made it easier than ever to purchase anything we might need from home. Not that it wasn’t always easy enough, but it became a habit. So I made a commitment to purchase nothing that isn’t 100% a necessity in January. So far, I’ve purchased some Burt’s Bees lip balm and I did have to buy a handful of things to make Valentine’s for a campaign. But it’s for work, and I plan on giving some of the Valentine’s to Margot’s class and the rest to our hospital. It feels really to go save money and to take a break from “oh I want/need this I’ll just order it.” Which is embarrassing to admit, but it became real life, and I really want to be more mindful with my purchases, which was the point of this experiment. 

And don’t forget, I’ll be sharing more, in-depth updates in my newsletter.